When you think about it, our immune systems are really quite amazing.  Throughout our lives, they fight off more “bugs” than we can even imagine.  Each time we’re able to fight something off, it makes our immune system that much stronger.  Building your immunity is always “in season” but with all of the nasty doses going around now, it’s of utmost importance.

Our immune systems are greatly affected by the foods we eat.  Want better immunity?  Ixnay the sugar.  Seriously.  1 tsp. of sugar can shut down your immune system for up to 5 hours!!  That’s crazy.  It’s lethal really.  So, if people around you are sick, and you don’t want to get it, the best thing that you can do is to cut the sugar.  NOW.

Ps… yes, that includes your nightly glass of vino or beer

Eat as much fresh garlic as you can stand. You may not smell so hot but viruses won’t find you very appealing either. Be sure to crush your FRESH garlic and let it sit for about 10 minutes to activate the alicin. NEVER scorch your garlic or cook it for long periods of time. Simply toss it in towards the end of the cooking process to reap the health benefits.

Increase your antioxidants. Antioxidants encourage healthy cells, increase immunity, fight the effects of aging, and lots more. It’s best to get your antioxidants from foods, namely fruits and vegetables. If you’re not juicing, you may want to consider it. Juicing (or blending) is an excellent way to increase the servings of fruits and vegetables you’re consuming in a day. I’ve included a smoothie recipe at the bottom of this post that can be thrown into a blender and eaten as a quick breakfast or snack. Some other ways to sneak vegetables in are:

• Carry a little Ziploc bag of raw veggies with you for snacks
• Serve everything on a bed of greens – it makes your meals prettier too!
• Eat at least one serving of fruit or vegetables with every meal and snack

ACES plus zinc is an excellent antioxidant supplement if you’re not sure that you’re getting enough from your diet.

To encourage the growth of healthy bacteria, which is of utmost importance in building immunity, take a probiotic supplement daily.  Yes, you can get probiotics from foods BUT you’d have to eat a truckload of yogurt to get the same benefits as one probiotic supplement!

Exercise daily, outside when possible. I love to be outside. There’s something about the sunshine and the air that is soothing for the soul. It’s good for us to breathe fresh air after being cooped up inside all winter. Get outside and go for a walk. Exercise boosts energy levels and slows the release of stress hormones, which is VITAL to your overall health.

Drink your water! Water is not only a conduit to remove toxins from the body; it’s also a nutrient, in and of itself. If you’re not sure how much water you need, a good rule of thumb is to divide your weight by ½ and drink that many ounces per day. Herbal teas can also be counted towards your daily intake.

Of course, there are essential oils that can help to build better immunity and to fight something off in an emergency. Curious? Let’s get together so you can see how easy and cost-effective it is to use doTERRA essential oils as part of your regular health care.

Smoothie Recipe 

Play with your smoothie – it can be fun to experiment with!  Ensure that your smoothie contains more vegetables than fruits and that it always has fats and proteins added

½ cup frozen berries

½ banana or slice of pineapple

2 cups leafy greens of choice

1/2 cucumber

¼ cup nuts and/or seeds

1 tbsp. coconut oil

1 tsp. spirulina